My Dau#3's BIL (older brother to her husband) enjoys participating in the Iron Butt Association competitions. He was in this year's 11,000 mile competition that just wrapped up, but he hit deer twice while riding at night during the comeptition. The second time he totaled his bike and broke his leg. That second accident occurred just outside of Glacier National Park, on the home stretch of the competition. He saw a doctor and got his leg casted that night, bought a new bike the next day, went back to the accident scene (to comply with the event rules he had to start with the new bike at the point where the old bike was totaled) and gutted out the ride across Montana (finish line was in Minnesota), but called it quits that next evening when he had to dodge another deer just west of the Montana/North Dakota border, so he wasn't a finisher this year.

For Xmas this year I'd like to give him a deer whistle suitable for mounting on a motorcycle.

I have several questions about deer whistles that the Sig Forum Brain Trust (SFBT, that's you guys!) probably has the experience to answer:

Are deer whistles really effective, or is their efficacy just an adage/wive's tale/old saw?

Can a deer whistle be effectively/usefully mounted on a motorcycle?

Who builds the best deer whistles?

Any testimonials/anecdotes about your own use of a deer whistle?

Looking forward to learning what you know about deer whistles! Thanks in advance!

Thanks,

Sap

Bike/Deer crashes are so frequent up here in Minnesota it is the #1 reason I gave up riding.

I remember researching your topic once and gave up after reading this article. Not sure why, but I had saved it.

http://www.thevog.net/threads/...rt-by-fred-rau.3439/

Get the round ones, easier for deer to get their lips on

Here is an excellent report (IMO). If you read it, go beyond the beginning that cites all the positive claims for the devices. In short, though, it states that deer hear in pretty much the same frequency range as humans and therefore a device that produces only ultrasonic sound won’t be heard by them any more than by us. Some electronic devices that produce audible noise caused deer to react in most cases, but would that have caused them to move away? In my experience deer that see me coming in my car are about as likely to jump across in front of me as to stay still or move away.

As I say, an excellent report. Added: And I see that Ronin1069 beat me to it.

My solution was to just stop riding in the early evenings and at night. I had too many close calls and I knew it was just a matter of time before my number came up. I know too many people that have hit deer and one guy who hit a moose, all at dusk or night.

As far as the deer whistle question is concerned, the general consensus around here is that they don't work. Personally I don't know, but I wouldn't bet my life on them.

Jim

I've seen deer whistles on motorcycles but I have no idea if they actually work. I never bought one and no one I have known who rides has put much trust in them.

Even if they do alert the deer which is better?

The whistle sound scares the deer into jumping, perhaps right in front of you or it may retreat into the woods/field. Probably a 50/50 chance of either.

or

With no whistle they'll either freeze and stare as you ride by or perhaps jump right in front of you. Probably a 50/50 chance of either.

The only thing I know of that works is to slow down in wooded areas or known deer crossings and be extra sharp at dusk. Also, if you see one cross in front of you it's time to hit the binders because there may be several more right behind it.

I seem to recall reading in a magazine years ago (like Popular Science or Consumer reports...) that the scientists couldn't be sure the deer could hear them, and if they could whether it would do anything or not they couldn't say.

My thought was always... hold a regular whistle out your car window. How much noise does it make? Does it make more or less noise than your car? I'd have to figure most bikes would be louder than the whistle.



(I almost hit a big buck years ago on my bike on the highway... about 3AM in heavy fog. I went past it about 3-4 feet away and it didn't even register what it was till I was past it. I was already going slow, but after that I was creeping. (And that bike was loud.))

Lots of deer in the Yoop and bike / deer strikes are fairly common. And I love riding our deserted roads at night. Since I don't want to stop riding at night, I put the biggest brightest LED driving lights (that I could afford) on my bike.
Clearwater lights.
And I have slowed down at night so I have maximum reaction time.
No whistles for me.
And Deer are often seen up here in the middle of the day.

I have never seen or read anything that the whistles work.

The best thing to have are fog lights that shine to the side of the road.

The only deer I have ever hit was when the inspection station made me take the Lucas fog lights off my Corvette since they were not type approved by the State.

Several weeks later, I hit a deer crossing Afton Mountain. I was lucky that I hit him low and was not rolled back into the convertible top. It only busted the right headlight.

I have hit a deer before driving an ambulance, lights and siren blaring. So, yeah...

I put deer whistles on a Jeep Cherokee some years back (before my girlfriend wrecked it ). First deer that heard it was about 1/3 mile in front of us, jumped in the air and ran away as fast as it could. I was impressed! We didn't even see very many deer after that, and those we did, fled in terror.

The Cherokee was replaced with a Grand Cherokee, and I put the same brand and model deer whistles on it, but due to the different shapes of the two vehicles, couldn't get the same angle on the GC. The whistles didn't do any good whatsoever on the GC, and in fact she hit deer a couple times with that truck.

The angle you mount the whistles at is probably the most important thing, more so than brand. They all have some method of changing the angle, but in my experience, you may not get them to work.

As cheap as a pair is, though, you really ought to get them for him. Don't wait for Christmas, though, riding season will be over by then.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I have hit a deer before driving an ambulance, lights and siren blaring. So, yeah...

You are looking at it the wrong way. There was a herd of deer and you only got one. He may have been confused.

NEVER ride at night in MT! End of Story. We have far too many deer, elk, etc.

I worked on one of the main routes up to Glacier NP. I was often asked for directions, best route, etc. I'd bet a hundred times I suggested to bikers to motel up and do the ride in daylight.

Several times, those that disregarded my suggestion, later hit deer. Thankfully none were fatal....other than the deer.

Any accident on a motorcycle can be very serious for the rider. WHY I never pushed my luck at night in Montana.

I consider the Iron Butt rides , especially the LONG ones, to be rather idiotic.

Hard to do on a motorcycle, but LED lights are small.

See them before it's too late.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I have hit a deer before driving an ambulance, lights and siren blaring. So, yeah...

You are looking at it the wrong way. There was a herd of deer and you only got one. He may have been confused.

Taking the bullet for his buddy.

They don't hear the loud pipes???

I'm not much help, I got a deer with my first ever motorcycle and earned a titanium collarbone in the process.

Upgraded lighting will help in more deserted areas where blinding other traffic isn't an issue.

I'd love to find an in helmet infrared camera system. In addition to deer, and other critters, it would make speed traps stand out nicely also.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
They don't hear the loud pipes???

They might hear the pipes, but how many deer have you seen freeze in the headlights?

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Bike/Deer crashes are so frequent up here in Minnesota it is the #1 reason I gave up riding.

I remember researching your topic once and gave up after reading this article. Not sure why, but I had saved it.

http://www.thevog.net/threads/...rt-by-fred-rau.3439/

You sent a brutal gang of facts to savage a beautiful theory. I like that

Deer present a much greater problem to bikes than automobiles in this area. I never ride at night and during the day I am always scanning along the side of the road.

Everything I have read or heard says that deer alarms or whistles never work.